


And it started with the flick of a tail

by Yurika_Schiffer



Series: Of encounters, experiences and ends [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Ichthyocentaur Akaashi, Kisses, Merman Daichi, Not Shippy, Other, but still kind of shippy, underwater au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 10:28:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4916053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yurika_Schiffer/pseuds/Yurika_Schiffer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daichi gets lost during a hunt and what he finds is not quite what he ever expected to discover.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And it started with the flick of a tail

**Author's Note:**

> Akaashi's agender in this AU, and uses it/it/its pronouns!

He’s lost. He has to admit it, though reluctantly, but he is. He has gotten separated from the other hunters and can’t find his way back to the village.

He doesn’t know that part of the sea, he realizes, swimming through the big seaweeds on his path. Even the algae around here are unfamiliar to him. Their colour is something he has never seen before, something between greenish-blue and darker hues. The only algae around the village are yellow and red, and he remembers the elders saying something about green ones too.

He swims for a moment, then decides to stop to take in the view. The number of seaweeds on the path starts to decrease and right before him stands the ruins of some temple. This is another thing he has never heard of around here. If there had been a temple – other than the one the village has erected for the god of Seas ages ago – he would have known about it, right?

He goes closer to the ruins. He can see details on the rocks, pretty patterns and lines that don’t seem to hold any particular meaning. He reaches for the moss-covered stones. It seems almost unreal, if he’s being honest.

Suddenly, there’s a shift in the water, vibrations that start when there weren’t any a second before. He tenses and turns quickly to find the source of the disturbance. With narrowed eyes, he looks around. But there isn’t anything. He reaches for his blade, attached to a rope around his waist and points it in front of him, ready to defend himself.

There’s another shift and he turns towards it. He hears a snort at that. His whole body is tensed, his shoulders high and his whole posture screams that he’s ready to fight.

“Show yourself!” he yells. The shift intensifies. His breathing is heavier now, quicker too. Everything feels like danger around him but he can’t bring himself to swim away.

“I’ve got to say,” a deep voice starts, putting him even more on guard. “You’ve got nerves.” There’s a hint of amusement in the voice, and he doesn’t know how to feel about that. “However, is it courage that you have, or fear that I smell?”

“I’m not afraid!” he snaps back. But he knows he’s lying. Not seeing his opponent scares him, he isn’t used to fighting things he does not see. The voice seems to know he’s lying too.

“Really?”

He hears clopping and he frowns. He doesn’t know that sound. He doesn’t know what is talking to him.

Another shift in the waters makes him focus again. The sound comes closer. His eyes are looking for anything approaching. Then he sees it.

His eyes first fall on the source of the clopping. This doesn’t look like anything he has ever seen. The sounds come from two cylindrical things that look made of horn, resting on the ground. His eyes follow what he thinks may be legs, covered in scales. The scales are dark but shining, it reminds him of his own and his friends’. Then the dark scales fade and there are fairer ones that merge into fair skin. The upper part of the creature’s body looks exactly like merpeople’s, confusing him. It’s smiling at him, not quite malevolent, more like amused and curious. Its hair is as dark as its legs, though messy and curly, and, again, shining.

The water shifts again, and his eyes follow the movement. He sees a tail, much like his own again. It’s as black as the rest. The fins at the end of it and, he realizes only now, scattered on the creature’s body, are of the same greenish-blue as the algae from earlier.

“I’m not going to attack you, you know,” it says. It’s looking at the blade he’s still holding. “I’m not armed. I’m just curious.”

“Why would I trust you?” he asks. It’s true that he doesn’t spot any weapon on the creature, but he’s still wary.

“I told you, I’m just curious. I’ve never seen people like you.”

“I’ve never seen people like you either, doesn’t mean I can’t be careful.”

“My name is Keiji.” Before he could reply that he didn’t ask, the creatures smiles. “My people don’t live far from here, but I believe yours aren’t from here, are they? Are you lost?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“I could help you find your way back. The path is tricky when you’re not familiar with it.”

“Why would you help me?”

“I have no interest in attacking you or whatever you think I could do. We’re pacifists. And you don’t look like a bad person.”

“… I’m Daichi.”

“Nice to meet you.” Keiji swims closer to him and holds out its hand. Daichi hesitates but shakes it with his free hand. “You came from the algae path, did you? Let me take you back out of this maze.”

Daichi lowers his blade and nods slowly. He’s still suspicious but if he wants to go back to his village, he doesn’t have the choice, he guesses.

Keiji swims to the path Daichi took to arrive here. It’s slow, Daichi notices. It uses its legs to push on the ground. Its tail is waving from left to right, but not enough to be of any use to move.

Daichi watches the movements with wonder. Keiji stops when it reaches the first algae and looks at him expectantly. Daichi shakes his head and quickly swims closer.

As they’re moving, Daichi can’t help but wonder about what Keiji is. He wants to ask, but he’s pretty sure he won’t get a clear answer; after all, if Keiji asked him, he wouldn’t be able to explain what he was himself.

They keep silent for a moment, before Daichi’s curiosity takes over his wariness.

“You said your kind were pacifists, but do you hunt to eat?”

“We don’t.” Keiji answers. “We eat mainly eat gracilariae and other algae. Do _you_ hunt for food?”

“We do. Big fish, sometimes small crustaceans. We don’t really eat seaweeds, they’re used for injuries.”

“I see. We may have similar bodies, for most parts, but it seems our ways of living are really different.” Keiji smiles.

“They are.” Daichi nods thoughtfully. “I never thought there could be people looking like us around. Maybe we don’t go far enough when we’re wandering.”

“Well, we never really went past the algae path either, so you’re not entirely at fault.”

They swim for a long moment, making small talk, mostly about their way of living. They learn more about each other and Daichi has totally forgotten about his suspicion by the moment they reach the end of the path.

He recognizes the plants and rocks in front of them and knows he can find his way back from here.

He turns to look at Keiji. Its dark eyes are glowing with a certain fondness but also sadness. Daichi guesses it’s feeling the same as him. Their talk made them grow closer – and he has to admit he doesn’t really want to leave it yet. With a twinge in his heart, he inhales and look at Keiji in the eyes.

“Will I see you around again?”

“It’d be a pleasure.”

“Good.” Daichi nods to himself.

Keiji holds out its hand, Daichi takes it. He’s surprised when Keiji pulls him closer and pecks him on the lips. Daichi blinks and brings his hand to his lips.

Keiji looks unsure when it sees his reaction and frowns. “I’m sorry if this was weird. This is the way we greet each other.”

“No, no! You just surprised me. We… don’t do that, so yeah. It’s… a weird feeling, but not bad?”

Keiji smiles again. “If you’re not used to do it, it must feel weird indeed. Would it be okay to do it again the next time we see each other?”

“S-sure.”

“Then I’m glad. See you around then.”

It leans in again, this time waiting for Daichi to understand and accept the gesture. Hesitantly, Daichi does it, pressing his lips against Keiji’s. It does feel weird, and his heart beats faster for a reason he can’t explain. But when they pull apart, Keiji’s smile is bigger and it looks happy. Daichi guesses he can do with the heart acceleration thing if this makes Keiji happy like this.

Keiji waves then, and turns back to go again through the algae path. Daichi watches it go, feeling both content and slightly sad. He smiles nevertheless and leaves as well.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know how to feel about this whole thing tbh, I like the idea but not really how I handled it. It could have been better but after three attempts, I guess this'll be the best I can do for now. Maybe there will be another part in the future, but no promises.  
> Find me on [Tumblr](http://yurika-schiffer.tumblr.com) if you wanna talk!


End file.
